ABSTRACT
Chapter 4 analyzes the first type of realist thinking in Russia that assumes the virtue of global containment of Western power in the interest of establishing a multipolar balance of power. This school of thought defends assertive foreign policy, particularly in relations with the United States. According to Global Balancers, Russia must act from a position of strength and assert its interests without any regard for Western criticism. This chapter begins by reviewing historical conditions and examples of the Russia-West conflict that have been responsible for the emergence of thinking about global balancing in Russia. Because of the heavyweight of imperial and Soviet periods in Russian history, Balancers remain the dominant group in contemporary foreign policy discussions. This chapter describes the main arguments by this group of realist scholars formulated since the Soviet breakup. I analyze arguments for rebuilding Russia's status of great power regionally and globally including by challenging American military capabilities and developing strategic relations with China. I conclude my review of Balancers by illustrating it using the example of one of their intellectual leader Sergei Karaganov.
